Thursday, December 5, 2013

It's that
time of the year when Red Starbucks cups are the most common accessory. It's that
time of year when you enter the ZSR when the shine is shining and leave close
to sunrise while double fisting diet coke and espresso all night. It’s the most
stressful time of the year when we all make promises to ourselves about better
study habits next semester.

Here’s a list of friendly reminders to keep sane during the
insanity that is finals week:

1)From the wise words of Kid
President, “Everything is going to be okay”. Right now, it seems like this one
grade is going to make us or break us. A common thing that a lot of us forget
about (myself included), is that this one grade won’t matter in a month. We’ll
have moved on to new classes and our priorities will have shifted. Although
these grades do matter and are important, don’t forget about your health (both
physically and mentally)! Take a break to read a book, watch a movie, take a
trip to miller, have a pit sit with your sisters (Stress-eating makes everyone
feel better), or just take a nap and recharge. Honestly, everything will work
out fine in the end. Don’t take this mantra as a reason not to study, but
rather as a reason to not over study and to know when enough is enough, like
when you start drinking that fourth venti coffee (I’m guilty!).

2)Focus on the positive,
whether the positives from the semester or what you have to look forward to
after finals (home cooked meals and shoeless showers). This will make everyone
much happier and relieve the stress as a result of “Work Forest”. A positive
aspect of finals week, we survived another semester and now get a month long
break to recharge before recruitment (and also to learn all the songs/chants!).
Another positive of finals week, calories don’t count and diets don’t matter.
Another positive of finals week, being done with more divisionals and classes
that don’t interest you (never having to run a mile and a half for a grade EVER
AGAIN). These are usually things that marathon
study sessions in the ZSR don’t highlight about finals week, but they make
finals week a little more bearable. Often times, the positives outweigh the
negatives and if you can focus on the positives then the stress of finals weeks
seems a little easier to bear.

3)Sisters are the best support system! Lean on a
sister when stressed out for a listening ear, a study partner, or just someone
to goof off with and relax. I’m here for anyone who needs anything at any point
during the week (and at any time outside of finals week), and I think that a
majority of our sisters feel the same way. Misey loves company, and that’s what
sisters are for! It’s reassuring to know that everyone is feeling the same way
and going through the same things. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a sister in
a class and study together, talking through information is a great study tool
and quizzing each other is even better!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Being in
a sorority has given me so much to be thankful for. My sisters are incredibly
amazing women and they inspire me every day. I would be lost without their
friendships and support. Not only have my friendships with girls I already knew
been strengthened, but my new Theta friendships have grown to be equally
strong, sometimes stronger. Each and every sister brings something unique and
special to our organization and I feel truly blessed to be a part of it as
well.

I am thankful for all of the opportunities that Theta has
given me. I never realized my full leadership potential until I joined Theta and
saw other girls looking up to me and depending on me. I feel like Theta has
given me the chance to do something bigger than myself. Our service and
philanthropy work touches the lives of countless individuals on our campus and
in our community. This impact is real and it makes me so proud.

Finally, I am thankful for my Theta little sister. Having
a little sister to support and mentor has been an amazing experience and I have
loved being there for her. The best part however, is how she has supported and
mentored me too! I never even anticipated how strong our relationship would
become. Although it began with popping a silly balloon, my relationship with my
little has evolved into one of my most meaningful college relationships. She
inspires me to be the best version of myself. She encourages me to make the
tough, but important, decisions. She motivates me to stay positive and to keep
a smile on my face, especially when she always has one on hers. Even when I am
faltering or want to take the easy route, she is there to remind me that I can
do better and I deserve to do better for myself.

My
little has a smile that can light up a room and she always brightens my day. I
would be absolutely lost without her. I have no I idea how I survived before I
met her. And I will be eternally thankful that she, and all the women of Kappa
Alpha Theta, are a part of my life.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Wake lost a great person today. I
knew Pillow, and while we weren’t best friends, he still found a way to work
his way into my life. I talked to him 2 days ago, he was the definition of a
Southern gentleman, and he made everyone’s day a little bit better by being
around. I went to Andrew Pillow’s remembrance gathering, and I was overwhelmed
by the love I saw.

At least a hundred people were
crammed into the mailroom in Benson. People talked about funny memories, cried,
and just remembered what a force for good Pillow was. I looked around the room
and saw people were holding hands, comforting each other, and just being
together. They shared stories, we laughed and we cried, and it was clear Pillow
left a profound imprint on this campus. I
wondered if he knew what a great impact he had on so many people, and how loved
he was. Pillow mattered at Wake, and I can only hope he knew that.

I wanted to take a second and say
to always remember that you matter. You matter to me. You matter to your
family. You matter to all of your sisters. You’ve positively impacted me,
Theta, and Wake just by being yourself. Today made me pause and reflect on how
short life is, yet how impactful that short time can be. It’s so easy to get
caught up in schoolwork, studying, the social scene, and everything else we do,
but I urge you to take a second and reflect on what you’re thankful for. I’m so
thankful for a variety of things: my family, my faith, my friends, and my
sisters.

I encourage you to take a moment
and tell someone how much they matter to you, and how much you love them. And,
remember you are loved. You are loved so much more than you ever imagined.Theta LΘVE and mine

Thursday, October 31, 2013

It's officially my favorite season of the year - fall! Though the warm sunshine that summer brings is a treat, the fall brings some of my most favorites things. I smile thinking about cozy sweaters and scarves, boots, football season, colorful trees, crispy crunching leaves, brisk air, candy corn, Halloween, and of course, the pumpkin spice latte.

However, it's not just my seasonal favorites that fall brings; just as the leaves change, I realize how my own life is changing too. Looking back to one year ago, I'm attending Miami University where I spent the semester student teaching and pursuing a degree in special education. I was wrapping up my term as Chief Executive Officer of the Gamma Upsilon chapter and anxiously waiting for our alumnae members to return for Homecoming weekend. Flash forward to today, and I'm walking in completely different shoes. I'm still serving the Fraternity, but in a much different context, currently not using my teaching degree and this time, it's me who is returning to Miami for Homecoming weekend. Change happens fast. But as I look forward to the leaves turning and watching the skyline light up with the brilliance of fall, I'm ready to turn the pages in my book of life and embrace this change. This semester, I'm looking forward to exploring the abundance of parks around Winston-Salem, cheering on the Demon Deacons at Wake-Forest University football games and watching the Zeta Omicron chapter evolve and grow. I'm reminded to spend some time reflecting on the changes occurring in my life and as the leaves fall, I know, everything is falling into place. Happy fall, y'all!

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Seriously,
I love every single one of them. I know many of you may not have had the chance
to get to know the girls, but as New Member Director, I’ve been lucky enough to
spend time with them every week since Bid Day (although they really have no
other choice…). I promise you, if you go out of your way to get to know Alexa,
Brooke, Emma, Tori, and Twiggs, you’ll see what I’m always raving about.

Alexa
is one of the most diligent but fun-loving girls I know. This girl knows what
she wants, and I know that she will become one of the most successful women
after college.

At
first, I thought that Brooke was super quiet and super sweet. I got the sweet
part right, but once you get to know her, she is probably one of the funniest,
most sarcastic girls I know and I love it!

Emma
very well might be one of the most hard-working, most dedicated girls at Wake.
She is always running from soccer to chapter, even with the butt-ton of work
she always seems to have.

Tori?
She is literally one of the sweetest girls I know, and no matter what she can
put a smile on your face. (She even let me borrow her car to run Inspiration
Week errands! …except I didn’t know how to pump gas…
#jerseygirlprobs).

Twiggs
is one of the most loved and loving girls I’ve met so far at Wake. Everyone
always tells me, “Twiggs?! OMG I LOVE HER!” I’m not kidding.

I
want to thank them (and Kate!) for being so patient with me these past couple
of weeks. They’ve had to deal with my dysfunctional self, from my awkwardness
to my over-enthusiasm, they’ve seen it all. Hopefully I haven’t scared them
off… but in the end, all I have been trying to do is tell them just how much
Theta means to me, and how much it will mean to them soon enough.

Each
of these women contribute something so different to Theta, and we are so
incredibly lucky to have each of them join our sisterhood. This just means that
Theta is becoming even more perfect, one new member at a time. J

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Here's Ashley Hamati's full response (the OGB only used a snippet) about how she believe Wake is "Thinking Theta."

A Theta is a leader. A Theta is someone who always goes above and beyond the expectation, whether it's in studies or in being a friend. A Theta helps others and causes positive change. She is the same personSaturdaynight as she is Tuesday morning. A Theta keeps it classy. She exudes passion in everything she does. A Theta is confident.

Theta is assimilating at Wake wonderfully. Everyone has been extremely supportive and sometimes even more excited than we are! We have a very diverse group of girls, which I believe is an advantage. Thetas come from all different walks of life, but we have become a well-knit group of girls; unity in diversity is a sign of true leadership, and diversity is the spice of life.

Fall Recruitment was also a huge success-- we took five fantastic girls. I asked one of our new members on Bid Day why she thought Theta and she responded, "Everyone I talked to was so nice and genuine, and fun. I felt like I was being welcomed into a family. Those were the girls I wanted in a sorority." On campus, I see Theta's as cool, down-to-earth girls-- girls who have a positive presence on campus and that people say "She's awesome. She's such a good friend to everyone and is very genuine. Get to know her! She's in Theta." Thetas are sincere girls who are involved both on campus and in the Winston-Salem community.

We've been participating in other Greek organizations' philanthropy events, such as Sigma Chi's Derby Days, Lambda Chi's Watermelon Bash, Delta Zeta's Color Run and Turtle Tug, as well as campus-wide events, like Hit the Bricks, DESK, Project Pumpkin, and Wake N' Shake. Our Spring philanthropy event, CASAROYALE, had a great turnout and support from the students and faculty, and we raised over $8,000 for Kappa Alpha Theta's national philanthropy, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). The women in Theta are also extremely involved on campus as well in other organizations, such as Volunteer Service Corps, WakeRadio, Campus Kitchen, volunteering at El Buen Pastor tutoring underprivileged children, The Lilting Banshees, RAs, club & intramural sports, Habitat for Humanity, a capella groups, etc. With our success right now, I feel like it's all uphill from here.

When spring rush had rolled around, many of us hadn't seen ourselves as perfect fits for a specific sorority-- we each embodied qualities that craved somewhere or something else. That "something else" became Theta. I know for me, personally, Theta had always been in the back of my mind since I heard about it last Fall. I had an inexplicable feeling that it would pay off. It was an almost-too-huge leap, but aren't all the things that make life worth living are thrilling? I knew it was going to be hard, but it was going to be worth it. My friend always says, "I wanted to define a sorority, not have a sorority define me," and Theta has absolutely been that. It has given me girls I am proud to call my sorority sisters. It's given me a place to call home on this campus. It's given me some of my best friends. Theta inspires me to be the best version of myself. Joining Theta has been one of the best decisions by far.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Just like most of you, I recently
downloaded Apple’s new iOS7 update. And I couldn’t help but compare this operating
system to our Zeta Omicron Chapter. I know it’s silly, but hear me out:

The update has several amazing new
features – or as we call them in ZO, new members. It took a lot of work from
programmers, designers, and executives to create a functioning operating
system, just like it took Headquarters, Alyssa, Joni, and now Courtney to build
up our Wake Chapter. And just like iOS7, now we’re out. Anyone could choose to
download us – or not. And that is an exciting, albeit nerve-wracking
experience. But just because one recruitment season was successful doesn’t mean
we can relax. Apple employees are already at work on iOS8, just as we now turn
to Spring Recruitment. And we need to advertise. Our letters are the same as
the logo on the back of an iPhone. And every little bug we have affects how
people view our brand.

I personally love Apple
advertisements. They are simple and elegant, displaying the positives of
purchasing their product, rather than tearing down another company. I’ve never
seen an Apple-produced attack ad. But I’m sure you have all seen the ads for
the Windows tablet, where Siri wails pathetically about how she can’t do
anything compared to her competitor. To me, the commercial seems like a petty
attack. We, as the classy women we are, need to shy away from comparing
ourselves to other sororities. Let’s look at our own wonderful qualities and
show them to the world!

But what is advertising without
execution? If all Apple did was spend billions on ads about how wonderful their
products were without working to improve themselves, people would catch on
quickly and stop buying. The same is true for us. We can advertise love and
Theta sisterhood all we want, but if no one attends sisterhood events, or
spends time with each other, everyone will notice. Maintaining infrastructure
is just as important as branding.

Just like your updated home screen,
Zeta Omicron looks beautiful and fresh. Everyone scrambled to download iOS7
because it was new and frequently talked about. But after long, the update
won’t be new anymore. It will come standard on later phones, and even later something
else will come along. Theta won’t be new soon. We will need a different
adjective to describe ourselves. And it’s up to all of us to define what that
adjective is.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Happiness. We've all heard it, we've all experienced it at one point in our lives (and hopefully, that's the bare minimum). We're told constantly that either it's the meaning of life or it's what we should all strive to achieve on a day-to-day basis.

That is absolutely true.

It's your life, so why would you want to rob anyone of your happiness? Ever heard the quote, "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game"? Or "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent"? If you read into them, they're pretty mind-boggling. When you succumb to the demons each of these quotes directly (or indirectly) imposes, you rob yourself of your own happiness. Yep, you read that correctly. YOU rob YOUR OWN SELF out of YOUR OWN happiness. Why would you ever cheat yourself of living a joyous life? You deserve it. You're a hardworking and brilliant individual. We all are, so we should at least do ourselves the justice of making our lives worth living. My advice and thought for tonight, as well as for the rest of your time here, goes as this: Be fearless. Be confident. Do something that surprises you. For example, I draw from my own experience. I used to dance when I was younger (didn't we all?) and I enjoy dancing. Am I Karina Smirnoff or Julianne Hough or the next winner on So You Think You Can Dance? Or am I the star Radio City Rockette? I'm none of the above, but that didn't stop me from trying out for Dance Team this year. Did I make it? Nope. But I'm glad I did it. It showed me a new level of confidence that surprised me of my own abilities.

When you're confident in yourself, you are happy. Your actions speak equally with your words and are taken in like the rays of the sun on a hot summer afternoon by everyone around you. You, in fact, have conquered this pursuit of happiness. That being said, only you can rob yourself of your happiness. No one has the power to do that. So try out for the Lilting Banshees. Try to find a silver lining each and every day. Have an excuse to be grateful and never stop giving. Even with schoolwork, pour your heart into it-- you'll rob yourself of happiness if you get a less-than-satisfactory grade when you know you could have studied just a little more. Going the extra mile is challenging and scary, but if it weren't scary or challenging, it would be simple. However, it is the very complexities of life that make it worth living, as well as the thrill of the pursuit of happiness.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

I’ll begin by informing you that I
have a very literal mind when it comes to words. When people say, “you made
your bed, now you have to lie in it,” I wonder why they think I will want to
climb back into bed after having spent all that time making it! I am not that much of a clean freak . . .

So, when I think of the phrase
“turning over a new leaf” I see an actual leaf flipping over in my mind. This
image still means something to me, even if it isn’t quite the same meaning that
other people have when they hear that familiar saying. Allow me to explain.

Looking at a leaf, the first thing
most people (myself included) notice is the bright green (if we’re talking
spring/summer) side. It’s colorful, it’s smooth, and it’s shiny. It’s kind of
like a shield. It’s what people first notice because it is what the leaf wants
people to see. How many of us work to show those around us only what we want
them to see? How many of us hide a part of us that is truer to ourselves
because we can’t bear the thought of others seeing that side of us, and
rejecting it?

That deeper self, I believe, is the
flip side of the leaf. When I picture the phrase, “turning over a new leaf,” I
see that other side—the side of the leaf we usually see when they fall from the
trees. This side is paler and full of the “veins” of the leaf. It’s the more
vulnerable side of the leaf.

We have this side too. It’s the
side of us that we only let out when we’re alone in our room, going nuts trying
to finish a paper after hours of procrastination. It’s the side of us we only
show to our siblings, when we dork out when we finally see them again during
school breaks. It’s the side of us we introduce to our friends little by
little, in small doses so they don’t freak out when they hear us speak in our
Cookie Monster voice for the first time, or sing to a piece of chocolate. Yes,
maybe this side of us is stranger. But isn’t it more fun to be strange and
entertaining that to be cool and detached from everything around us?

So, this fall, I think we should
all test these waters, as we still are getting to know each other and now have
new sisters to befriend. Shouldn’t our sisters get to see us at our best, our
craziest? Try turning over that new leaf and showing friends the more personal,
maybe more goofy side of you. You may be surprised at how much people enjoy
seeing you in this light. After all, we all want our friends to love us for who
we are.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

I always thought I would be a member of a historically
African-American sorority. I had my heart set on one thing all my life and had
to intentions of changing my mind… But there was something about Kappa Alpha
Theta. My mom and sister worried if I would really fit in and if I would be
received in a loving manner and I love them for that. But I am happy, blessed,
and proud to be able to say that I am a
sister of Kappa Alpha Theta and truly feel like one. Theta for me is belonging.
It means a chance to thrive in a group for a common
purpose. It means that I have the opportunity to really get to know a fine
group of women and share my diversity and welcome the diversity of others. It
is a place where I am not a minority but I am an important part of an awesome majority…a
whole. I love Kappa Alpha Theta already for everything it is and everything
that it already means to me and I can only hope, and I sincerely have faith,
that my love strengthens…because after all, faith hope and love are all
important, but the greatest of these is love.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Before
joining Kappa Alpha Theta, my favorite activities were serving as a Resident
Adviser and being a Wake Forest Cheerleader. I was proud to wear my apparel
from Residence Life & Housing and it was cool to get free Nike clothing; however,
I still felt like I needed more out of my college experience. I had started
these two positions because I was told, “Res Life is such a great community”
and “the cheerleaders are great teammates.” While both of those statements were
true, I was still missing something. I was missing sisterhood.

Being a
Kappa Alpha Theta, I have learned why we are not just members, but we are truly
sisters. Everyone Theta at Wake
Forest joined this organization knowing that it wouldn’t be easy, but like Joni
said, “It would be worth it.” We are united in the fact that we are bold and
courageous young women, and I couldn’t be prouder to associate myself with such
adventurous pioneers. While we have only been in Theta a short time, I have
already seen the sisterhood impacting me in ways I never thought imaginable.
Thetas lift each other up when they are down. Thetas reach out to others to
start new relationships. Thetas serve the community and world as a whole. Thetas
surround each other with those who will lift us higher. And we don’t just wear
the shirts that say we do it—but we actually do it.

Kappa
Alpha Theta Fraternity prides itself on being an organization that encompasses the
ideals of scholarship, leadership, friendship, service, and personal excellence.
While that all sounds really impressive on paper, I wasn’t initially convinced
that sororities always translate their values into their lifestyles. I knew
many other organizations that claimed to hold certain values yet would act in a
contradictory manner. Theta instantly
debunked that myth. From the minute I met Joni and Alyssa in Benson to the dinner
I just had with my little in the pit—it’s clear—Thetas stand behind our
principles and we take them to heart. We have faith in each other, we never
lose hope, and most importantly, we love each other dearly.

Thank you for letting me be a part of the
Theta love. It has truly been an incredible experience and this organization means
more to me than you will know. While I still enjoy cheer and RA, it has been
the Theta committee meetings, Theta philanthropy events, Theta sisterhood, and
even Theta colony meetings that were the highlights of this semester. During
busy weeks of schoolwork that seemed like they would never end, I found myself highlighting
any sort of Theta event in my planner as the “light at the end of the tunnel.” Theta
has been just that—a light. Each sister has inspired me to be the best version
of myself, to never give up, and to love unconditionally. And because of that,
we have grown stronger than a team and closer than a community, and I am proud
to call myself your sister. I cannot wait to continue to light up this campus with
you. And when we graduate Wake Forest, we will take this love we share and
light up the world. We are beautiful, talented, confident young women and I am
certain these bonds will stay with us forever. After all, Theta is for a lifetime.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

I’ve never considered myself to be a social person. Until the age of 11, I
couldn’t order from the cashier at McDonald’s because I was so afraid. As time
went on I could talk to adults, but I was never able to easily communicate with
my peers. It made me uncomfortable and anxious. The words always came out
wrong. I wasn’t afraid of embarrassing myself, or that people would judge me,
it was just that I couldn’t talk.

You’d think I’d be past this at 17 years of age, but I’m not. I went back to
counseling this Spring. I go every other week because I have Social Anxiety.
Being in crowds can give me panic attacks or make me sick if I feel
uncomfortable enough. But I don’t want to be that way, so I choose not to be.

Joining Theta was something I hadn’t anticipated – ever. Sororities “weren’t
my scene”. Heaven forbid I would have to…speak to people. I didn’t go through formal
recruitment. But when I saw how happy my roommate was in her sorority, I
questioned why it would be so awful for me to join. I mentioned my regrets to a
girl on the hall, and she asked me if I wanted to try for KAT. I hadn’t heard
too much talk about it before, but I had an instant gut feeling. This was my challenge.
This was something good. I went through the interview, and now I’m here.

For most people, joining a sorority isn’t such a challenge. But for me to
speak to girls I’ve never met on a constant basis is hard. When my mom found out I had
gotten in she was so excited because she knew that it took a lot of effort on
my part. And it did. I am so proud and happy that I took that step for myself.
But now the real challenge begins: making friends out of my sisters.

I’ve been to Coffee with KAT four times now and I am also in the Sisterhood
Committee. There are days where I stay silent and just listen, and there are days when
I speak up as much as possible. The first day I went to coffee I just sat there
because I was so afraid. Someone asked me my name and all eyes turned towards
me. I didn’t want to go back. But my counselor and I talked about going again.
She told me to sit up straight, act confident, and speak loudly. I tried going
again and it worked! I’m making friends and doing so much better.

The reason that I’m quiet sometimes is certainly not because I don’t like
any other Thetas. I love my sisters to death. It’s just that it’s hard some
days. Tonight we learned about being a leader during New Member Meeting. And so
I just ask that all of you leaders out there talk to a sister who isn’t
speaking up. Ask her what she thinks, because she’s thinking a lot. She’ll
appreciate that you are pushing her to be better, as well as inviting her to be
your friend. Remember that it’s the little things that can make a huge difference
in someone’s life.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Being the First

As the
oldest child in my family, “being the first” came with each new activity I
participated in. Growing up I was never excited to “be the first”—the first to
go to school, the first to get braces, the first to take the SAT. I was always
a bit envious of my younger siblings who would figure out the best way to do
things based on my actions, triumphs, and mistakes. I wanted just one time for someone
to make those mistakes before me, so that I, too, could learn from them—what the
best classes were to take, clubs to join, which colleges to visit, when to take
the SATs, and how to maneuver through the college application process.

Now, however,
for the first time, I am truly happy to “be the first”, to be a charter member
of Kappa Alpha Theta at Wake Forest University. Perhaps it is because I am not
in this venture alone, but I am walking alongside 150+ wonderful women, all of
whom I am extremely proud not only to call my friends and classmates, but also
my sisters. It is truly a unique opportunity that we have to establish
something at Wake Forest University that will far outlast our short time spent
wandering the Quad, studying in the library, or laughing with friends at the
Pit.

Under the
guidance and leadership of our two wonderful, caring, and enthusiastic ELCs, I
am excited to see what the first group of Kappa Alpha Thetas will accomplish
over the course of the semester. What name will we create for ourselves? What
traditions will we establish? Who will we be able to help through our service
and philanthropic events? By holding true to the values of Bettie Locke
Hamilton, we can create an organization that continues to be supportive of the
leadership, academic, and social pursuits of all members, while providing a
family away from home. I hope that over the course of the semester, we will be
able to continue to lay the foundation of a strong sisterhood, one that is
built by genuine concern and support of others.

We are the first! Wow, that is a
big responsibility and can seem overwhelming at times, but we must think back
to our founders. The four original Thetas--Betty Locke Hamilton, Alice Allen
Brant, Bettie Tipton Lindsey, and Hannah Fitch Shaw--all of whom helped to
create the first Greek letter fraternity for women. They fought to create a
group in which they could find support within a male dominated campus and
world. They were the first and their challenge was far greater than ours.

I challenge
each and every one of you, sisters, to find courage and confidence in the
actions of those four women, for they created an organization that has far
outlasted any of their wildest dreams and has inducted women who have made a
difference not only on their college campuses, but in the world at large. I
wish good luck to each of you! And please remember, you are never in this
alone. You will never have to take the first step without knowing that 150+ of
your sisters step alongside you! So, perhaps “being the first” isn’t so bad
after all!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Now that we're a couple of weeks into our Theta experience, I've realized something about being a charter class, and being a new member. Being the first isn't about being "the best." It's about being OUR best.

The women of Kappa Alpha Theta don't all know each other yet. We can't be the best sisterhood until we've all taken the time to get to know one another and really care about our sisters. We can't expect be be seen as the "best" because we haven't established ourselves yet. But that's where being our best comes in.

If each woman in this sorority worked to be the best that she could be (the best sister, the best student, the best friend, etc) it is a reflection on the sorority as a whole. And if each of us works together to better each other, then we will make Kappa Alpha Theta better. That means getting dinner with sisters before chapter, tutoring a sister in Accounting, and helping a sister work through her personal problems. It also means being respectful of our ELCs, who are working so hard to get us started out on the right foot, and honoring the traditions that have been handed down for generations. Being our best isn't going to happen over night, or even in a week. But consciously making decisions to be a better person means making Kappa Alpha Theta a better organization. And that's what this is all about. Being better.

We have the honor of being the first, and what we do will establish how Theta is seen on campus in the years to come. I am so excited to help my sisters be better women, and I cannot wait to see how my sisters will positively impact my life.